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Attention boomers, zoomers, coach potatoes, restless kids and those with winter blahs — it’s not all downhill from here.

While alpine skiing and snowboarding have long been the winter draw at B.C. mountain resorts, operators have been steadily adding fun/fitness activities to engage the whole family. This first February winter long weekend, they’re out to offer you something different.

Ski-in, ski-out ten-pin bowling anyone?

Pinheads is the latest lure at Silver Star Mountain Resort near Vernon.

It’s the brainchild of one of Two Fat Tradies — Duncan Miller, a celebrity TV contractor who’s known around Silver Star as ‘Australia’s Mike Holmes.’ (Tradies is Aussie slang for tradesmen.)

Eyeing what was vacant retail space, Miller decided to put his reno talents into four fast lanes — along with a bar and bistro — which opened this season.

“We have a really cool climbing wall, but this offers another warm option.

“Mom and dad can enjoy maybe a beer or hot chocolate with Bailey’s while the kids bowl.”

The bowling alley/nightspot joins a tubing park, skating rink, snowshoe and Nordic trails, sleigh rides and snowmobiles in the list of attractions that appeal to the gravity-challenged or gravity-weary.

Baycroft acknowledges ski resorts now do battle with all-inclusive destinations like Mexico for hard-earned vacation dollars, and Silver Star has countered with Canada’s first all-inclusive ski ticket — the my1pass.

As opposed to parents digging into their wallets throughout a day of fun, the pass that ranges from $77 to $41, allows members of the entire family to not only ski/snowboard 115 marked runs over 1,240 hectares of fine Okanagan powder — they also get access to 55 kilometres of Nordic trails (another 50 km can be accessed at adjacent Sovereign Lake Park) 16 kilometres of marked snowshoe trails, Tube Town and skating/hockey on a mountain pond.

Baycroft has seen an increase of season’s pass sales and an explosion of interest in mountain alternatives as a result.

“This past Sunday … I’ve never seen so many people on snowshoes in my life,” he says. “It’s the fastest-growing winter sport.”

For a complete and thorough introduction, take one of the themed snowshoe excursions offered by Outdoor Discoveries (outdoordiscoveries.com)

At the opposite end of the spectrum, snowmobile rentals are available for kids and adults alike. For the wee ones, a special course and mini machines are set up next to the skating rink. Grown-ups can rent the real thing a shuttle ride away courtesy of Okanagan recreational rentals.

Guy Paulsen, Nordic manager at the resort, is absolutely committed to converting the masses to skinny skis and is seeing traction from the my1pass program. He’s been passionately involved in the sport for decades, and can’t fathom why anyone would want to “run away from winter.”

Baycroft says visitors’ reactions to being able to seamlessly move from skiing all day to going tubing and/or skating when the lifts close have been heartwarming.

“It’s been like they feel we’ve reached out, put our arms around them, and welcomed them back to winter.”

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